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Mike Pouncey – August 14, 2017 Download PDF version

Monday, August 14, 2017

C Mike Pouncey

(How did you feel out there taking a lot of work during team drills?) – “It felt really good. I’m just happy to be back out there with the guys, just getting back, better at football, doing the things I love to do and I’m just glad I’m back out there.”

(What’s the best part?) – “The best part is being able to say I’m a Miami Dolphin, to be honest. I keep telling everybody, that process I went through is a long one. It was humbling. The best thing I can say is that I’m out here being able to do the things that I love to do.”

(How are you feeling physically?) – “Physically I feel great. I feel like we have a great plan, a great schedule that I’m going to stick through throughout this whole camp. We’ll see how it goes whenever the start of the season gets here.”

(I know we jokingly said it but how does it feel to actually hit somebody?) – “It feels real good. (Ndamukong) Suh gave me a stinger on my left side. It shut my whole left arm off for a little bit. I miss those hits. (laughter) It felt good. It hurt, but it felt good to have it again.”

(Do you feel like you need to play in a game just to get that dust off?) – “Honestly, I just want to because I’m a competitor; but I’ve been in this situation where I haven’t played any preseason games and missed the first four games of the season and came back and played well. I’m not too much concerned about it. The competitor in me wants to be out there and go out there and do the plays that the rest of the first-teamers are doing, but we’ll see what (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase wants to do as we get along.”

(Did you have any apprehension yesterday to see how your body would react to the work you did Saturday?) – “Yes, we pretty much just do every other day and we see how we feel after the big work days; but I wasn’t sore at all. It felt great. I really wanted to go yesterday but we were just sticking to the plan of one day on, one day off, and it’s been working so far.”

(What kind of conversations have you had with QB Jay Cutler knowing that you guys probably will be working together in the season opener?) – “We talk a lot. It’s good that we get to work out here in full 11-on-11 reps together, going against our defense. We do a lot of work in the meeting rooms and on our walkthroughs. If he’s our starting quarterback when the season starts, we’ll be on (the same) page.”

(Are you at that point where you have a confidence that ‘I’m good. It’s not going to get reinjured. I’m fine. I’m 100 percent.’) – “I mean I wouldn’t be out here taking reps if I didn’t. You don’t want to be a guy that’s second guessing yourself because any time you do, you’re going to cause injury. I’m a guy that’s full out or full nothing. I’ve been going full out every day and it hasn’t been an issue.”

(I know your teammates understand the process but have you gotten any good natured razzing from them for missing some of these practices?) – “(laughter) Yes, they give me a hard time during meetings. It’s tough whenever I don’t practice, but they understand this has been a long process for me. These guys have been here every step of the way, from when I first had this injury back last preseason. They understand everything I’ve been through. For me to be able to come out here and practice with those guys, they appreciate me being able to come out here. They joke around and give me a hard time when I have days off, but they understand what I went through this whole process.”

(What was the play that gave you the stinger?) – “(laughter) It was an inside zone play. It was like our third play of team. (Ndamukong Suh) rocked me pretty good, but it felt good.”

(How long did it take for the stinger to go away?) – “It went right away but I felt it. My whole arm went number and I was like ‘Golly, I miss that feeling.’ It was good to have it back (laughter).”

(It looks like DT Davon Godchaux is active in practice…) – “He’s going to be a good player for us. He’s a disruptive guy. He’s really fast off the ball. He’s a kid that comes in and works hard every day. I think he’s going to do really well for our defense.”

(Being a star football player comes with a responsibility like signing autographs. Where is the craziest place that somebody has asked you to sign or have an autograph?) – “I’ve been asked everywhere. I can’t think of a crazy place but you can imagine anywhere and everywhere I go, I’m signing autographs. Honestly, I enjoy it, because I know one day I’m going to walk out and walk down the road and nobody is going to know who the hell I am. So I take advantage of the opportunity that I have in front of me and really enjoy it.”

(Some guys told me the weirdest place they’ve signed an autograph and maybe they’re in the bathroom and they’re just using the bathroom.) – “I just don’t like taking pictures in the bathroom but other than that, I’ll sign a few things in there. (laughter)”

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